Page:Diary of ten years.djvu/189

 171 of the Civil Court at Perth came with affidavits, &c., to support an application for a writ against the captain of a vessel, who is about to leave the colony, while there are some unsettled questions of law affecting him. This is one of the few cases in which there is an arrest in civil matters here; and the writ can only be issued by myself.

The same messenger also brought intelligence that a ship had arrived from Hobart Town, but without a mail. This appeared so strange that I determined to ride down and inquire for myself. True enough—not a single letter, parcel, or package has she brought—nothing but her own freight of cattle, flour, and potatoes. There is some mystery which we cannot as yet develope; but the general opinion is, either that another vessel had sailed before her, and had not yet arrived, or that one was about to follow, which would interfere with her market.

28th.—Went to dine with Mr. Shaw, and had a drive home with Mr. and Mrs. Brockman in a kind of dog-cart. I killed a fine sheep this morning—the first which I have regularly slaughtered for sale: it is small, 11 lbs. a quarter—but I should not be ashamed to compare it with any mutton in your market. The carpenter and thresher purchased a side at 1s. 6d. a pound. It was one of those for which I gave £2 10s., but as I have been paying a shepherd ever since, my profit is not very considerable.

Perth, March 30th.—A man has arrived in breathless haste to announce that the Merope, chartered by Major Nairn, had arrived. Soon afterwards the mail was brought in; but I cannot express my mortification at not receiving a letter; but in the envelope of one to Captain Irwin lay your letter, dated Nov. 1831, and another from Mrs. Logan, who had forwarded it. I shall start for Fremantle to-morrow, to ascertain if the articles mentioned in your letter are on board, and if they can be exchanged for sheep, of which the Merope has brought 358; but I know not if they be for sale. She has also